Mobicon Systems is proud to announce that they have been awarded a grant from Commercialisation Australia in June 2014.
Commercialisation Australia was announced as part of the 2009-10 Federal Budget and was an important component of the Australian Government’s 10 year vision – Powering Ideas: an innovation agenda for the 21st century.
At the time Commercialisation Australia publicised the availability of this grants, Mobicon Systems had been creating an innovative new Light-Weight Container handler. The prospect of being awarded one of these grants meant that Mobicon would be able to commercialise their new designed Mini-Straddle Carrier.
Mobicon’s Managing Director Tom Schults, is convinced that this project will accelerate the sales of two innovative new Mini-Straddle Carrier models including one that can stack containers ‘2-high’. These new models would combine the unique patented Mobicon feature of low wheel loadings, with a competitive price reducing imports of foreign Straddle Carriers into Australia while boosting sales of Australian products overseas. The tested 8-wheel configuration avoids yard damage caused by 3-or 4-wheel straddle carriers. There is now overwhelming evidence that only a 8-wheel Mini Straddle Carrier can work in an average Industrial yard that was designed for trucks and 5-tonne forklifts. We had clients who saved huge amounts of money by reducing their concrete thickness by 80mm due to the Mobicon having half the wheel loadings compared to a 3-wheel Straddle carrier. 3-Wheel Straddle carriers typically have the same wheel weights as a 25 Tonne loaded forklift, and not many yards are designed for these huge wheel loadings”
Mobicon was determined to design a machine which would improve the turning circle and reduce the price of the base Mobicon model, while adding a model that can stack containers 2-high. These features are highly sought after by companies all over the world.
Mr Schults states that “the grant allows us to place demonstration models in key markets, so that potential clients and distributors can better evaluate their utility for their own operation. Market research shows that lack of a demonstration model in the client’s country is a major barrier to sales”, and that “awarding of a Commercialisation Australia grant would significantly accelerate the sale of the new models”.
Mobicon found that there are 558 million TEUs (Twenty Foot equivalent units) moved in the world each year, (source: World Bank, 2011 figures) of which 6 Million is movement within Australia: about 1% of the world total. Therefore, the potential of world-wide sales is huge.
The purpose of the grant was to not only assist Mobicon Systems in producing demonstration models, but also to start a European office to support our Distributors there. Additionally, the grant will allow Mobicon to upscale current facilities to support increased manufacturing and output.
So: what is the product to come out of this grant? Our brand-new ECO-Range comprising of multiple models – and most specifically the new TF and TF2 models. These models allow for the operator to stay in the cabin when connecting and disconnecting from a container, avoiding the need for the operator to bend over and physically handle the chains and hooks. Both machines use Swedish-made ELME spreaders which are world renowned for their quality and low-maintenance products. The TF2 is the model with top spreader, which stacks containers ‘one over one’ or ‘two high’. It is this model that European companies are most interested in due to its high space saving capacity.
Following the extensive application process, Mobicon Systems was awarded the Early Stage Commercialisation grant in June 2014 and is now in the process of rolling out the project with great enthusiasm.
For more information please contact Tom Schults on + 61 7 3811 5049 or visit www.mobiconsystems.com
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